Growing up in a tropical country makes me extra curious about winter activities. My first-hand experience in snowboarding and skating got me pumped up to try winter hiking in Johnston Canyon (Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada).
Powered up with a hearty breakfast, we set out on our hike. We hadn’t made it ten feet out of the parking lot when we realized how slippery the trail was. Jellybean, my husband, had to help me navigate the path and kept me from slipping.
I was still on high spirits as we walk passed the sign, but my excitement was quickly overshadowed by my clumsiness and fear of heights. 😱 There were icy patches all over the trail and the treacherous cliff made my knees weak.
To avoid the scary path, I decided to walk in the deep snow which was “conveniently” located up the “hill” from the trail… Lucky me, I made things worse because I had trouble going back to the trail when I reached a dead end. Jellybean had to rescue me and get me back on track. 😅
With all the struggles that I went through on our way up, Jellybean, Mike and Shara encouraged and supported me even though I felt like I was being a nuisance.. 🙁 While I was looking like an idiot, Shara was gingerly walking on the slippery path like it was a fashion runway. 😲
Surprisingly, my fear disappeared on our way back and I managed to enjoy the walk… errr… slide. Learning how to traverse the icy path made a world of difference.
The amazing view, the breathtaking winter water falls and the awesome company made the winter hiking a memorable experience.
See you again, Johnston Canyon!